viral videos

There are a thousand ways to say “I love you,” but tricking your partner into thinking your life's in danger probably isn’t one of them.

In a scary example of how common police brutality is in our culture, Daiwon McPherson of Mobile, Alabama used the horrific practice to the same ends as a flash mob, proposing to his girlfriend of five years after pretending to be victimized by police. Nothing says “let’s be together forever” like a traumatizing reminder of the grim realities of life.

McPherson pulled the stunt off with the help of local police, who for some reason were more than happy to stage a scene of police violence in the name of love, drawing real gun on a real person in the name of a real blessed union. There’s nothing quite like watching your partner’s face switch from terror to confusion to relief in the blink of an eye.

The whole event started when McPherson never showed up for dinner and drinks with his girlfriend, when she got a call that he was “he was running from the cops while in possession of a gun,” according to The Daily Dot.

Meanwhile, McPherson had already spoken to police earlier, hoping that the video would go viral “to show an instance of police working with the community for a positive outcome.” Apparently, there are no other positive things police could do for their communities. Maybe, like, a charity car wash or something? Maybe police-hosted picnic? Maybe police talking to people in the community without their guns drawn? I don't know. Just spitballing here.

Of course, this hilarious gag plays on the videos of actual tragedies. As The Daily Dot rightly points out, “In the past three years, many videos involving police altercations with black civilians have gone viral for their depictions of police brutality, including the tragic deaths of Eric Garner, Philando Castile, Alton Sterling, and Tamir Rice.”

Authorities got wind of the footage and obtained a search warrant, and a SWAT team raided the Huntsville property at 5 a.m. on Tuesday, Madison County Sheriff’s Captain Mike Salomonsky said at a press conference.

They seized two handguns, an assault rifle and a shotgun, as well as several rounds of ammunition and magazines. It’s not clear whether any of these weapons appeared in the video. Authorities also confiscated bags of marijuana and a computer, Salomonsky said.

“Wow. What an awful year 2016 has been," says everyone always. Everyone except the celebrities, YouTube Stars, and living memes of YouTube’s 2016 Rewind.

This is a packed event filled with references to everything that happened this year, except the really, really bad stuff. Well, there's a reference to Bowie passing, but that's it. It's all good times from here on out. Let’s see what we’ve got here:

The Rock

The guy water bottle flipping guy

PewDiePie

Dude Perfect

Something called “I Has Cupquake”

The dude that does magic but covers his mouth electrical tape

The starts of this thing that has over 2 million views

Seth Meyers

Daniel from Damn, Daniel

Carpool Karaoke

Colorful lighting

Pokémon Go

The Slow Mo Guys

Flash Mobs

MUCH, MUCH MORE

Look if your video went viral last year and you’re not in this thing, it’s time to get a new agent. Yeah, I’m talking to you, Misha. Where you at? 45-million views. WHERE YOU AT?

Like everything on YouTube, it’s a real mix of things that are annoying, entertaining, ridiculously cheery, and downright confusing. But that’s what the internet is about, and honestly, it’s better than the other half of the internet, which is startlingly depressing.

There’s a new president, so there’s no more time to stand around. The Mannequin Challenge is over, and it’s time to move, take action, and cower in fear.

At least that’s the MO of the new viral sensation that’s sweeping high schools around Vine or Snapchat or whatever kids are using these days. Personally, I’m 952-years-old, so it’s all Myspace to me.

This new challenge is so easy, it’s almost instinctual. Someone yells, “Trump is coming” to a group of people, and everyone runs away in fear. It’s not so different from a Tokyo resident in a Godzilla movie, except much more real.

Is there a more time-honored American tradition than the Mannequin Challenge? Probably not. When our forefathers came forth to this great country and beheld its many spoils, they knew that this land was made for you and me to stand still for a short period of time and pretend we were statues.

Lots of celebrities have been getting in on the Mannequin Challenge the past few days. There was even a Destiny’s Child reunion thanks to it. But there’s one entry that really packed a punch. Aboard her campaign plane (cam-plane?), presidential nominee Hillary Clinton and her staff, which includes former President Bill Clinton and hard-rocker Jon Bon Jovi, delivered a Mannequin Challenge as a last-minute bid for the presidency in this 57-second clip. The message is clear: “Don’t stand still. Vote today.” It’s just as our forefathers intended.

Many want to go out in a blaze of glory. One man’s community made sure he did.

Incorporating the ashes of Anthony “Barney” Brack into a bundle of fireworks, Brack’s family and friends sent his ashes airborne into the night sky on, where they exploded in a flurry of light and sound, during the Halloween celebration in Drumcondra, a Dublin suburb.

Brack was the founder of Drumcondra's Halloween fireworks display, so his family figured that this would be a fitting tribute to a man that loved fireworks so much. Anthony Brack, a father of two, died suddenly on November 2, 2015.

“There was a real devil in him,” family friend Marty Whelan told the Irish Times. “He was an amazing man, he really was.”

One thing’s for sure, his family and friends know how to honor their loved one.

Hey, if you’re going to steal a cop car, why not share the experience with your friends?

Police arrested John Pinney, a Tulsa resident, who stole a cop car and streamed the joyride on Facebook Live on Monday night. Pinney's friends and followers got to join in the fun of stealing a patrol car, engaging in a high-speed police chase, and singing along to the radio without the added stress of breaking the law.

Oklahoma's News on 6 reports that Pinney simply walked up to the unlocked patrol car, opened the door, and took off.

News On 6 continues, "Tulsa police sergeant Steve Stoltz said a woman called 911 and told the dispatcher a man got into a police car near 5th and Denver, asked if she wanted a ride, then drove off when she said no."

Presumably, when this woman declined to be Pinney's audience, he turned to the officer's iPad, where he logged onto Facebook and proceeded to bring officers and followers on a 30-to-40-minute, 120-mile-per-hour car chase.

"I would encourage every criminal out there to Facebook Live their crimes so that we can catch you a lot easier," said Stoltz. "Use that Facebook Live at your trial to get a better conviction."

According to News on 6, Pinney was arrested "on nine complaints, including eluding, resisting arrest, and possession of a firearm by a felon." Thanks to Facebook Live, we’ll be able to relieve these crimes over and over again.